Lost and Found
by scifislasher
Summary: [Lost Galaxy] Character study of one Mike Corbett, Magna Defender


Lost and Found

Disclaimer: Not mine. Unfortunately.

When High Councillor Renier first met Mike Corbett, it had been one of those days. In the final stages of finalising the Terra Venture project, the Council had been meeting more and more often and it seemed they were getting sick of the sight of each other. Councillor Richard Brody had been grating on her nerves all day. He was tiresomely conservative, for all that he was backing such a risky undertaking as a space colony, and he was overly fond of the sound of his own voice. There were many times she felt like smashing something hard over his head, just to ease the frustration of having to work with him. On the other hand, his voice carried a lot of weight with the Senate and his support for the project was vital if it was to ever get off the ground. There was also the aggravating fact that he was a more than capable administrator, a person they would need when (_if_) they found a new world to live on. All that meant that she had to put up with him. No matter how infuriating he was.

Having been in meetings all morning, she wasn't looking forward to another one, no matter that this one involved Commander William Stanton, a man she held a great amount of respect for, the man who would be charge of the space colony when the ship was finally finished and ready to go. Still, she gritted her teeth and refused to hold her pen so tightly it snapped. She'd already done that twice today and it wasn't even mid-afternoon yet. The young man standing just behind Commander Stanton and slightly to his right had caught her attention. He was new, not someone she'd seen before, but it seemed he was Commander Stanton's second in command, a man who would, if necessary, take over command of the colony should anything befall William Stanton, or if the search for the new world took longer than they had planned.

Introduced as Lt. Michael Corbett, she studied him carefully. Solidly built, he radiated confidence, yet not arrogance, as well as a steadiness that suggested he would be ready for anything, no matter the circumstances, should he be called on. It was not a surprise that Commander Stanton had chosen this young man to be his right hand. There was also a naiveté about the young lieutenant that was both endearing and heartbreaking. Such youthful idealism would be erased the more time he spent interacting with the Council and all its machinations. It would be a sad day when young Mike Corbett lost that innocence.

* * *

Much to her surprise though, that had never happened. Yes, some of the idealism faded, replaced by harsh realism, but somehow the young man managed to hold onto most of it, and he proved to be a passionate speaker when he believed in something. She didn't always agree with his views, but he usually managed to bring up at least one valid point, and it was all but impossible to dismiss his comments without at least considering them, especially when his comments pricked at your conscience, a rare feat for someone dealing with people hardened by the political system.

The loss of Mike Corbett on the training moon as they departed their-- Earth's-- star system was a heavy blow to the colony, one it would be hard put to compensate for. None of the other candidates for second in command possessed all the necessary qualities such a position demanded. She'd never realised until then just how truly vital the position of second in command was.

* * *

The day Mike Corbett returned to Terra Venture, more light years away from the Milky Way than she cared to think about, and under such mysterious circumstances, was a good one. It seemed to be a day or new beginnings: entering a new galaxy, with the welcome return of a much missed piece of the colony. There was no doubt a fascinating story behind the young man's disappearance and subsequent return, one that she would dearly like to hear at some point, but it was obvious that as of this particular moment in time, he had no idea how to put it into words. She decided to take pity on him and ended the mild interrogation he was being put through by his commanding officer, rewarded with a blinding smile that was quickly hidden behind his professional mask as he was ordered to report for duty first thing in the morning.

The return of Mike Corbett gave her a new hope, hope that the impossible could be achieved, that they would indeed find a new world, within her lifetime or not it didn't matter, she knew that one day they would get there. That renewed attitude and vigour also gave her hope that perhaps Marie Renier hadn't become as subsumed beneath High Councillor Renier as she'd thought.


End file.
